Nirmala Sitharaman was defence minister from September 3, 2017, to May 30, 2019. The prevailing belief in South Block, she gathered, was that defence scams had roots in India’s dependence on imports. A.K. Antony, who had a rocky tenure as defence minister, had once suggested indigenisation of military hardware as the “ultimate answer” to prevent scams. Now, as the finance minister who is on a mission to make India atmanirbhar, Sitharaman is drafting a “negative list”—of weapons and military platforms that cannot be imported—to secure the goal of self-reliance.
The list may include artillery guns, armoured tanks, radar and certain types of ammunition. These will have to be made indigenously. Sitharaman has also raised eyebrows with her plan to open up strategic sectors like space and atomic energy. “While certain high-end technology systems can still be procured from abroad, emphasis will be on procuring locally made products,” said Sitharaman. She has announced the enhancing of the FDI ceiling in defence manufacturing from 49 per cent to 74 per cent under the automatic route, with an aim to attract behemoths like Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Airbus and Saab.
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Denne historien er fra May 31, 2020-utgaven av THE WEEK.
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A golden girl
One of India's most formidable beauties passed away earlier this month. The odd thing is she would absolutely hate this obituary; she hated being written about and avoided publicity for all of her nine decades. Indira Aswani was 93 when she died. But anyone who encountered her, even briefly, was in such awe of her grace and poise, and one could not but remember her forever.
The interest in wine is growing delightfully in India
The renowned British wine writer and television presenter Jancis Robinson, 74, recently came to Delhi and Mumbai to reacquaint herself with India's wine industry. This was the Robinson's fourth visit to India; the last one was seven years ago. On this trip, Robinson and her husband, restaurateur Nicholas Lander, were hosted by the Taj Hotels and Sonal Holland, India's only Master of Wine.
United in the states
Indian-Americans coming together under the Democratic umbrella could get Harris over the line in key battlegrounds
COVER DRIVE
Usage-driven motor insurance policies offer several benefits
GDP as the only measure of progress is illogical
Dasho Karma Ura, one of the world's leading happiness experts, has guided Bhutan's unique gross national happiness (GNH) project. He uses empirical data to show that money cannot buy happiness in all circumstances, rather it is family and health that have the strongest positive effect on happiness. Excerpts from an interview:
India is not a controlling big brother
Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay considers India a benevolent elder sibling as the \"big brotherly attitude\" is happily missing from bilateral ties. He thinks the relationship shared by the two countries has become a model of friendship not just for the region, but for the entire world. \"India's attitude is definitely not of a big brother who is controlling and does not allow the little brother to blossom and grow,\" says Tobgay in an exclusive interview with THE WEEK.
Comrade with no foes
Lal Salaam, Comrade Yechury-you were quite a guy!
Pinning down saffron
In her first political bout, Vinesh Phogat rides on the anti-BJP sentiment across Haryana
MAKE IN MANIPUR
Home-made rockets and weapons from across the border are escalating the conflict
SAHEB LOSES STEAM
Coalition dynamics and poor electoral prospects continue to diminish Ajit Pawar's political stock
